Reunited
by xTeam Mockingjayx
Summary: (AU) One shots of Emma Swan and Killian Jones reuniting after the season 4 finale. Takes place at different times during Season Five. Caption Swan centric.
1. Heartache

**Reunited**

 **Chapter One: Heartache**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time.**

 _Set a few weeks after the season 4 finale and is AU from there. Emma and Killian finally reunite after she becomes the Dark One._

* * *

Killian stumbles onto the Jolly Rodger with less grace than a certain cowardly imp.

Another exhausting day was drawing to a close.

As usual he was glad another torturous day without his Swan would soon end but it was still another day without Emma.

As the days dragged on they didn't get any easier.

As cliché as it sounded Killian doubted they ever would. Not until he was with her again. Emma, not the Dark One, his Emma.

He had fled the Charming's loft as quickly as possible once it became clear no further progress would be made that evening.

He was touched that, the once wary mother and stubborn, distrusting father, were finally trusting him and recently had been all but begging him to spend time with them.

But he also knew why they were doing it, Killian was aware that David and Mary Margaret only wanted him around so he wouldn't do anything stupid.

It made him scoff.

Him, Captain Hook, do something stupid!

What an absurd thought.

Especially when Emma was in potential danger.

Or…causing the danger.

He didn't know which was worse.

Killian appreciated their concern, he truly did, but he's just not sure how many of Mary Margaret's hopeful speeches he can stomach.

She meant well of course but the former pirate was positive that when it comes to battling your inner darkness he knew more about it than the valiant hero.

Her determined voice still rang through his head,

"Dark One or not she is still Emma, she is still our daughter David! She still has goodness in her, she's the saviour! You and I ensured she'd be good. That she would never go dark. She won't give in to the darkness. She can't."

He remembers how he clenched his jaw and dug his nails into the armrests of the chair he once wrapped Emma up in blankets in, to resist the temptation to stand and contradict her naïve thoughts.

Regina however had no such desire to hold back,

"Snow, what Emma did was far more powerful than the apprentice's spell. Emma allowed the most powerful source of dark magic to enter her. In doing so the darkness took over her….conscience you could say. She isn't the saviour anymore, she's the Dark One. But we will find a way to change her back."

After a few moments of awkward, stunned silence Snow changed the subject to finding Merlin.

At this Killian tuned out of the conversation, simply because every single day it was the same conversation.

We need to find Merlin.

We need to find Emma.

Find Merlin then we can find Emma.

He didn't care much for this Merlin. He was a sorcerer, a good one and from what Killian had gathered had a great deal of say in what happens in people's lives. Even more so than the Author.

Killian had never cared much for those who interfered in other people's lives.

Before he met Emma he never cared much for people with magic.

But if Merlin can lead him to Emma then he'll do anything to meet him.

All he wanted was Emma back.

Killian eventually managed to escape the Charming's clutches. All he wanted to do now was drink all the rum available in this godforsaken town, clutch the dagger he used to despise so much, which now bore HER name on it and cry himself to sleep.

But of course he can't do that.

Legendary pirate captains do not cry.

It of course has nothing to do with David raiding his ship and STEALING all of his alcohol while Belle threatened that…that dwarf Emma hated with a passion to not give or sell him any alcohol.

Or that Regina took the dagger from him after numerous interrupted attempts of summoning Emma.

Nothing to do with those things AT ALL.

Killian allowed his feet take him below deck, to the room he once ventured to with Emma, a lifetime ago.

An adventure he could not remember.

He does remember the jealousy though, the rage and horror he felt as he watched his past self kiss and hold Emma. The girl he had wanted to kiss for so long, the woman he had spent what felt like forever proving himself to. The hero who helped him become a better man.

Over the past few days he has sought refuge here, relentlessly trying to remember what happened with her in the bar that night.

But alas he never remembers instead he lets his mind wonder to what he had said to get her home that night.

What she had said or done to convince him to take her back to his ship.

No memories surfaced.

All that came to him were tears.

Running his hand over his face, his spinning head and thumping heart distracts him from registering the fact that he is not alone.

"Hello Hook"

* * *

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 _xTeam Mockingjayx_


	2. Finally

**Reunited**

 _Chapter Two: Meeting Again_

 _AN: Follow up to my first chapter. Slightly AU from season 5. May continue if you guys want._

 _Emma and Killian talk for the first time since she became the Dark One._

* * *

If it weren't for the unexpected greeting Killian may not have noticed her presence on his ship.

He is hesitant to believe it's her as he raises his head slowly.

It wouldn't be the first time he had imagined her voice, her face, her presence since her disappearance into thick black smoke.

He had even imagined her before then.

In that treacherous year without her.

Startled blue eyes meet green.

He doesn't even blink.

It's ridiculous but he is surprised that she looks the same.

He had not expected a dramatic change in her skin like the crocodile experienced as this was storybrooke after all but he wasn't expecting this.

Blonde curls danced over her shoulders framing her pale face in the moonlight.

Her attire had taken a change.

Her trademark leather jackets, plaid shirts and skinny jeans were absent.

Replaced by black ankle boots, flimsy black tights matched with very short shorts which did not match the freezing cold weather outside and a dark grey jumper.

Only when he had taken her all in did he force himself to study the changed in her beautiful face.

Her lips were painted a dark red colour, tilted into a sultry smile.

For an unknown reason he thought she looked paler, colder than the Emma he knew.

He quickly reminded himself that was because she was no longer his Emma.

Against his better judgement he ached to hold her, for her to feel warmth and happiness again.

To be good.

Finally he reached her eyes again.

The startling green eyes glinted with joy but he could still read her like a book.

She had a hint of hesitance about her.

Her posture displayed sheer confidence but her eyes betrayed her.

He had dreamed this moment for what felt like years but now he was unsure what to say, how to act, how to feel.

"Emma."

If she is hurt by the coldness in his tone she does not show it.

Her grin widens and she steps forward, free of hesitance and places a hand on his chest.

Her gaze lowers to her hand before raising them again.

"Hello Hook."

Swallowing hard he steps back, away from her touch.

That nickname reminding him this wasn't just Emma Swan anymore.

His Emma Swan had been touched by darkness.

The Emma that loved him begged him to save her from the darkness.

He would not let that Emma down.

Emma – the Dark One's smile fell when he moved back she paused for a minute before speaking again.

"I wasn't sure whether I should come or not.."

Despite himself he couldn't stop himself from saying what he was thinking,

"I wish you had come sooner."

Her eyes widened with surprise before quickly putting up her Dark One façade and smirking,

"Well I wanted to but I had stuff to do"

"What stuff?"

He was thrilled to finally see her after so long but he couldn't help the anger he felt.

She had been gone over two weeks, with no message, no contact.

Not to mention that she willingly became the Dark One.

He knew why she did it of course.

He would not have expected anything less from the saviour.

But he couldn't help feel anger.

Not necessarily at Emma but at the Dark One.

Minutes went by with no answer so Killian moved on,

"Why didn't you come back sooner?"

Emma shrugged,

"Didn't think you'd want anything to do with me."

Killian immediately softened.

The Dark One couldn't cure Rumplestillskin's cowardice and the Dark One couldn't crush Emma's insecurities.

"Of course I do, we all do."

Laughing she replies, "You? Want to be involved with the Dark One?"

She shook her head in laughter as she sat on the edge of the desk across from him.

"You spent centuries trying to murder the Dark One Killian. Now you want to be with me?"

His jaw clenches.

"That wasn't you."

Her gaze is empty "It was the Dark One. I am now the Dark one."

"You're still Emma. I want to spend time with Emma. I want to be with Emma"

"The darkness is a part of me now Killian. It only makes me better. It makes me stronger."

"You were perfect before"

Emma rolled her eyes, "Before the darkness I was always afraid, constantly scared of my powers, that people would leave me, that you would leave me."

Killian moved toward her slowly but she wasn't finished, "But now I'm stronger. My powers are not a burden to me anymore. I can use them to my advantage now Killian! This doesn't have to be a bad thing. This can make us stronger."

He knew what she was trying to do.

The darkness had corrupted her, made her addicted, convinced Emma Swan that she could not survive without this darkness.

She wanted to convince him.

But he wouldn't let her.

"Emma" he begins gently "You were perfect, you're powers were amazing and you helped so many people. You can stop this if you wanted, help us stop the darkness. To help you go back to the Emma you truly are. The darkness forces you to do things you'd never have wanted to do! It's changing you Emma."

"I'm always doing things I never imagined I'd do Killian" her tone is alike to one of an adult to a child telling the child they know better "I never imagined I'd perform magic, that I'd raise Henry, that I'd date a pirate! But here we are. I never thought I'd become the Dark One but here we are."

Emma stands and moves closer to him,

"Like you said, I'm still me just different."

"Emma…."

Her hands wrapped around his neck

"I still want to be with you"

"You wanted me to take the darkness out of you. You asked me to!"

"I changed my mind Killian."

"No. The darkness manipulated you!"

Sighing Emma pulled away from him.

"You're not going to listen to me right now I understand. You're haven't gotten used to the idea that I'm not going back to who I was. But you will. I just hope you still want to be with me when you finally accept my choice."

"Swan-"

"I'll see you soon" She smirks "Hopefully you'll have changed your mind. Trust me when I say that I'd rather you help me than go against me."

"What do you need help with Swan?" He asks hurriedly

Stepping back she smiles "Goodbye Killian"

And before he could blink she disappeared into black smoke once again.

* * *

I think that's it.

Unless you guys want more?

I could write another chapter if you'd like.

Tell me what you think!

Follow, favourite and review :)

xTeam Mockingjayx


	3. The Truth

**Reunited**

 **Chapter 3: The Truth**

 _AN: This takes place at the end of Birth, it is AU of what happened in the episodes following. Hope you like it. I will probably write a final chapter about Killian and Emma reuniting in the Underworld. Let me know what you think!_

* * *

"But first we need to take care of her"

Killian watched as Emma's eyes watered further. He knew if she could move she would be standing in front of him, hand on his cheek, begging him to understand her point of view. Why she did this to him.

Killian clenched his jaw.

Why she turned him into the thing he despised most in the world.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by the witch cackling beside them.

That's when he felt it.

The urge to kill.

A feeling he was all too familiar with from his pirating days.

But this was different.

He did not want to torture the witch or maim her before stabbing her as he did with previous foes he faced.

Instead he desired to punch a fist into the evil woman's chest, rip her heart out and crush it until it turned to dust.

The image circled around his brain again and again.

She did this. She told him, Zelena was why he felt this pain.

Emma should have been the one to fix this, to tell him.

To heal their darkness, to destroy this vile being and save both of them.

'No, all the witch did was show you the truth.'

That voice, it felt so familiar.

The cunning pirate in him was resurfacing after he suppressed them for so long.

'Emma lied to you, Stole your memories. Turned you into a Dark One. She betrayed you, not Zelena. All she did was tell you the truth.'

Somewhere in the distance Killian heard Zelena make some snide remark about his new persona but he couldn't concentrate on anything but that voice in his head.

'Emma Swan must suffer. After all you did for her, she treated you this way. You remember now, you remember how you BEGGED her not to do this to you. But she did. She ignored your last dying wish and turned you dark. She must now deal with the consequences of that decision. If she wants Dark One Killian Jones then that's exactly what she's going to get.'

He was pulled back to reality by a gentle whisper of his name.

"Killian…" he raised his eyes to meet hers. Emma Swan.

The voices in his head silenced once he looked at her.

Silent tears were falling down her frozen face, begging him to release her as he had once begged her to release him, to let him die.

She ignored him then, why should he listen to her? Why should he help her?

'Because you love her.' A quieter voice stated in his mind.

Killian swallowed and kept his eyes trained on Emma while the battle raged inside his mind.

She betrayed him.

She saved him.

She lied.

She tried to save him from the darkness.

For so long he was terrified of losing Emma Swan and now…now she was terrified of losing him.

So terrified, she was willing to risk him turning dark in favour of keeping him alive.

Killian felt Zelena's eyes burning into him, the anger and frustration at him.

"Well come on then Dark One" her emphasis on his new title was pointed and obvious and ir turned his stomach. "punish the former beloved saviour" Zelena's smirk widened as she glanced at the vulnerable female Dark One "destroy her for what she did to you."

Snapping out of his trance Killian turned sharply and stalked towards Zelena glaring at her.

"Nobody tells me what to do witch."

"But she-"

Ugh would she ever just go away?

Killian raised a hand to gesture for her to leave but unexpectedly his hand was surrounded by red smoke.

It quickly enveloped Zelena and within seconds she was gone.

Leaving only Killian and Emma in her…their house.

Killian almost laughed at the irony of it all.

Killian's eyes were drawn back to Emma's fragile green ones.

Emma was waiting, still frozen, watching him decide what to do with her.

"Killian…"

"You should have told me."

It had been a long time since he had spoken to her like this.

His voice was low, stern and held a sharp edge.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I just wanted to save you from the darkness."

"You could have done that if you told me. We could have faced this together like you said in that god damn memory! You sad we could battle it together. But you lied to me instead."

"I was trying to protect you! To protect everyone! You didn't want this, I knew that. I felt guilty for putting this on you. I was afraid of your reaction."

He could feel himself relenting. He thought about the other memories he'd recently received.

The joy of finding Emma in Camelot just in time to save her from killing that flame-haired Scot.

Dancing with her at the ball, how passionately she kissed him after saving Robin.

Her trusting him with her insecurities, with the Rumpelstiltskin demon.

Planning their future with Henry and how thrilled he was by how excited the boy had been when he anxiously requested his assistance.

Emma finding out, the pain when he thought she didn't want to be with him anymore. The joy he felt when that thought was proven incorrect.

The several exchanged 'I love you's that made his heart sing at the time but now they cause his heart to ache.

Pride as she connected the sword and dagger for a split second and then there was nothing but pain.

Hesitantly he lifted a hand and Emma stumbled forward.

Her eyes betrayed her shock at being released but soon enough, as he had previously predicted she immediately came over to him and touched his cheek gently.

"I know what I did was awful. But I couldn't lose you. I just couldn't. I was afraid if I told you, you'd give into the darkness again. The longer I lied the stronger the fear became. I know I should've had more faith in you! I know you were there for me through it all and never doubted me and I'm sorry!"

Killian searched her eyes, her face for signs of deceit.

She's a Dark One.

They lie.

We lie.

Why should he trust her?"

"I love you Killian."

That's why.

"I love you and I did this so we could have a future together, so we could have this house and this life together that we both wanted, that you wanted."

Steeping away from her he shut his eyes.

Two sides of him were engaged in combat. Battling it out over what to do with Emma Swan.

He felt her small hesitant hand on his forearm and he eventually turned his head to look at her.

"I know what's going on in your head Killian. I know the battle you're fighting. But I know you're still you. I know you still love me back. So please, please let's fight this together, we can work on you forgiving me. It'll take time I'm not ignorant of that but I'll wait. However long it takes us to work this out I'll wait.

He felt one side of himself winning the argument. Just as it had done once before, what felt like a million years ago now, the day he turned his ship around, magic bean in his fist and decided to save Storybrooke, to save Emma and Henry.

"Swan…"

For the first time in a long time Killian was graced with a genuine smile from Emma Swan.

Her finger's brushed over his arm reassuringly, the inner struggle and pain must be evident on his face.

Her touch calmed him and for the first time since he came back to Storybrooke a few weeks ago he felt close to her.

No mind games, no deceit, nothing but them.

Emma clearly reciprocated these feelings as she stepped closer to him and whispered,

"There's the hero I remember."

* * *

 _And that's chapter 3!_

 _If you liked it please let me know in the reviews!_

 _Follow, favourite and review for more!_

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _\- xTeam Mockingjayx_


	4. The Underworld

**Reunited**

 **Chapter 4: The Underworld**

 _AN: This is the last chapter of Reunited. Set in the Underworld after Killian's death. Angst with some fluff at the end._

 _Hope you enjoy it! Please review if you liked it._

* * *

Cold.

All he could feel was the piercing cold.

Although rationally he was still surprised that he could feel anything.

He was supposed to be dead.

He was dead.

Killian had listened to Nimue, he was aware of the Underworld but he also knew that only deceased people who had unfinished business were stranded for all eternity in the Underworld.

So what was his unfinished business? He couldn't help but question.

Killian Jones had become a hero in the end.

He had come to peace with Milah's passing.

Fallen in love with Emma Swan who did him the great honour of loving him back.

He saved Emma from the darkness, saved Storybrooke from the Dark Ones, from himself.

So what other business was there left to complete?

The other residents of the Underworld had been less than helpful.

Arriving in some manner of dark, secluded, suspiciously quiet forest Killian had only seconds to take in the creepy, unexpected scenery before a cruel, unknowingly familiar laughter came from behind him and before he could turn and face his opponent the darkness returned behind his eyes once more.

He woke some time later in this place. It was far too dark to tell what time of day it was let alone where his captor had stored him.

Was this some old foe he had defeated from long ago come for their vengeance?

Or perhaps this was the devil itself, entrapping him in an unknown tomb for all eternity with only his own torturous thoughts to drive him insane.

Feeling along the moist, stone walls Killian judged that his quarters were not particularly large by any means, perhaps he had been trapped in a cell of sorts. However no matter how many times he felt along the uneven surfaces of the walls surrounding him he found no door for him to escape through.

Frustration filled him faster than the pirate in him once re-filled his flask.

He knew he had asked for this, he wanted to die, ordered his love to carry out the deed for him.

But this kidnapping was not what he expected.

Did this happen to everyone who died?

Was every deceased person who once walked along sandy beaches, who used to watch the sunrise from ships such as his or who once lived an interesting and unique life just like his, now trapped in some unknown horror such as this?

Killian briefly dwelled upon the notion that he was trapped in some form of grave upon first arrival but that notion was quickly overruled by the realisation that there was no surrounding dirt and that the room was much too large to be a casket. Not to mention that while he could not see the ceiling in the darkness, the walls must be quite high as he could stand naturally in this room.

Days must have passed since his first arrival and yet he had no urge to eat, use the bathroom or to keep himself hydrated.

Perks of dying, Killian guessed.

If the devil's wishes were to torment him with the time to over-think things then Killian was sorry to say that his wishes were being fulfilled.

Once Killian resigned himself that there was no escape, his mind forced him to deal with the overflow of heart-aching thoughts he wasn't ready to face.

He had died.

He was dead.

That Killian could accept, in his eyes he had probably lived far too long anyway.

Immortality was something he had never wished for during his time in Neverland.

His 300 years had brought him to Emma though and for that Killian could not be more grateful.

Even the thought of her beautiful name caused an ache in his heart.

He could not have wished for a better death.

Seeing Emma become herself again, watching her lose all of her darkness, feeling her holding him as he slowly fell deeper and deeper into the blackness was all he ever could have hoped for.

He had achieved his goal, to save her from the darkness, if the price was his death, if the price of her becoming herself again was that Killian would be forced to spend the rest of eternity isolated in this enclosed, empty room then it was well worth it.

What hurt wasn't what had happened to him but what would happen to her.

Killian hoped against all hope that she would learn from his mistakes.

Killian wanted more than anything for Emma to move on from his death, to keep her lowered, to keep trusting people and not to shut herself out from the world again like he had done after Milah's passing.

Killian knew losing a loved one was one of the most despicable, painful and tragic things to happen to a person but he was well aware how strong Emma was and he prayed (though it wouldn't do him much good now) she knows his wishes and could find the strength within her to move on with her life and with her family.

Killian smiled at the thought of Emma living in their house, watching Henry grow up, being happy, and marrying some faceless man who made her truly happy, raising little saviours and growing old there.

Despite his heart twisting in pain at the thought of Emma loving someone else, Killian wanted her to be happy more and seeing as it was impossible for them to be together now, he hoped she could move on with someone else and live the life he had dreamed for her with him.

Killian was unaware how much time had passed when he heard a loud, echoing rattling sound above him.

Tilting his head back Killian waited anxiously to see what the noise was.

Was it someone he knew who had passed coming to greet him? Liam? Milah?

An enemy from his past come to taunt him? Pan? Cora? A fellow pirate? An innocent whom he had harmed in passing in order to enact his revenge on the crocodile?

The devil himself come to explain the rules of the Underworld to him?

He felt the urge to call out for someone but then reasons with himself that he's dead and that there was really nothing anyone could do to help him.

Except perhaps reunite him with his brother.

But Killian doubted his brother had any unfinished business he needed to deal with.

As reckless as he was, Liam always had all of his affairs in order and despite his stubbornness and their troubled, unconventional childhood he had always been happy and content.

There was most likely no reason for Liam to be in the Underworld. Though Killian thought the same of himself and yet here he was.

The annoying, scratching sound ceased and after a moment passed Killian was almost blinded by light as the ceiling was ripped apart and dropped to the side somewhere above.

Killian looked up, he'd been right the walls certainly were high, it was almost like he were in the bottom of a well looking up.

In the centre of the brightness Killian thought he saw a face amidst a flow of shining, unmistakeable, impossible blonde hair.

Killian couldn't stop himself taking a step back and squinted his eyes, certain he was seeing things.

"Killian!" A voice, a soft, sweet, gently voice he would recognise anywhere, in any life or death, Emma Swan's.

But that was impossible, definitely impossible.

Unless the unmentionable had occurred and Emma too had died.

Or he was being gifted with a vision.

If that was the case perhaps this was heaven after all.

He thought he heard other voices but he was too distracted by the glimpse of sunshine shaded blonde hair and sea-green eyes.

Before he could call out to the angel above him she spoke again.

"Hold on! I'm coming for you Killian, just give me a second!"

Shock proved to be stopping Killian from replying so he just stood there in his rectangular shaped, stone cell.

A clattering noise echoed as a flimsy rope ladder was thrown down into the cell and clashed roughly against the wall.

The figure returned and soon made their way down the ladder.

The voice, the hair, and the stunning green eyes he could have imagined. But not this.

This was Emma Swan in the flesh. He just knew it.

Boots collided with rope as Emma hurriedly climbed down the make-shift steps.

In the blink of an eye Emma was in front of him.

Killian begged his feet to run to her, hated his arms for not immediately enwrapping her in a tight hug but his body was frozen. He ran his eyes over her what must have been a million times, each time checking to see if this figure was really her or was it a vision or the underworld's version of a siren?

Emma was clad in her old, traditional scarlet leather jacket that Killian had missed so much when she became the Dark One, jeans and boots.

Her hair was back to it's beautiful sunshine shade of blonde and it danced in light ringlets surrounding her pale face.

Her lips weren't falsely painted anymore and were pulled up in a genuine smile, her green eyes were shining with tears yet Killian suspected they were happy tears.

Emma hesitantly took a step towards him and took his hand in hers,

"It's me, Killian it's me." Emma smiled encouragingly at him and Killian could imagine what a fool he looked, standing frozen in some underground cell reuniting with the love of his life and being incapable of saying anything.

Emma stepped further toward him and placed her other hand on his cheek and stroked his stubble gently,

"I'm not dead or anything Killian don't worry. My parents, Henry, the others and I we all came here to save you, we're here to take you home."

Swallowing multiple times before speaking Killian wished that could be true,

"Swan…even if you are here love I'm afraid you had a wasted journey…Swan I've… I've all the Dark Ones inside of me. I'm… I'm a danger to everyone. You can't let me go back. It's… better for me to be here." Killian's voice was dry and hoarse from not speaking for so long.

A tear slipped down Emma's cheek and Killian's heart ached as he immediately reached forward to brush it away gently.

The saviour shook her head quickly and smiled sadly at him,

"Killian… it's a long story and a conversation we really shouldn't have here but… that's not what happened. You didn't take all the power of the dark ones inside you. They are… contained somewhere else right now but I'm no longer dark and neither are you."

More tears fell free from Emma Swan's eyes at the sight of Killian's wide, hopeful eyes and she couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"We…we're safe?" Killian's baby blue eyes began to shine with his own salty tears as he let himself believe that this could actually be real.

Emma nodded and grinned at him, "Yup, we can go home, back to Storybrooke, to our home and live happily ever after."

Hoping against all hope that this wasn't a hallucination Killian squeezed Emma's hand back and smiled, a single tear falling from his own eyes.

"Happily ever after…I like the sound of that, love.

* * *

 _AN: And that's the last chapter of Reunited! Hope you enjoyed it!_

 _Please favourite and review!_

 _Thanks for reading_

 _\- xTeam Mockingjayx_


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